Lenny Ignelzi / AP
San Diego State head coach Steve Fisher gets his message across to San Diego State guard Aqeel Quinn during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UNLV Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, in San Diego. San Diego State won the game 53-47. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 | 12:45 p.m.
The Rebel Room
No benefit of the doubt
A one-point loss at Colorado State is no shame, except when it comes on the heals of an already middling Mountain West slate. Las Vegas Sun sports writers Ray Brewer and Taylor Bern get into UNLV's latest setback and the perception of the team at 13-10.
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The picks are below, and hopefully they’re good because I went 0-3 on Tuesday night, but up top I wanted to share some thoughts on Jerry Tarkanian, the UNLV legend who died this morning at the age of 84.
I moved to Las Vegas early in coach Dave Rice’s tenure, so I don’t have the scope of history or the time spent to have great stories like the Tark tales being passed around today. All I have are a couple of observations from watching the man in his element.
First, and I’m not exactly sure why they don’t do it anymore, but for my first couple of seasons on the beat, the Mack PA would play Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” right after the game. Tark attended a lot of the games those first couple of years and during that song, he would, with help, make his away across the court bearing his name and head for the exit.
It’s such a strange song to hear at a college basketball game, but it always felt so appropriate as I’d glance up from my seat and watch the parting of the seas by fans who revered the man so much.
Then, last March during the Mountain West tournament, I went to an old restaurant with a friend from out of town. One wall was full of pictures of patrons both famous and not, including a tuxedoed Tark. And then, while waiting for our meals, in came the entire Tarkanian crew.
With his kids and grandkids all gathered around a few tables pushed together, Tark seemed just as happy as at games and equally revered. I guess my point is that even to an outsider, it was always clear that wherever he went in Vegas, everyone loved the Shark.
TODAY
Air Force (plus-9.5) at Boise State
6 p.m., Mountain West Network
• Underdogs haven’t been a good bet for me lately, but that’s where I’m going with this game. It’s difficult to draw any real conclusions out of the Falcons’ 23-point victory against Wyoming, which was missing two players, but I think it’s possible the return of Max Yon will mean that Air Force is now capable of hanging in games like this.
Pick: Air Force
Wyoming (plus-11.5) at San Diego State
8 p.m., CBS Sports Network
• As fans, we really got robbed with this one. A battle between the league’s two teams tied for first place is pegged to be a blowout because the best player on either side, Wyoming’s Larry Nance, will miss his second straight game with mononucleosis.
In Wyoming’s last game, when it was missing both Nance and reserve Alan Herndon, the Cowboys went to Air Force and got stomped by 23. That would lend you to believe that San Diego State is the right side today, but for reasons I can’t entirely explain, I’ll go with the road team.
Pick: Wyoming
Last week: 5-7
Season: 91-77-1
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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